Happy Haunting
by Becks7
Summary: Wheeler takes Linka on a spooky Halloween adventure
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Wheeler takes Linka on a Halloween adventure. Even though I hate Halloween, I can't seem to stop myself from writing Wheeler and Linka stories about it! I guess letting Wheeler and Linka have fun while I'm stressing about work makes it better!

Disclaimer: I don't own Wheeler and Linka (or any other character from Captain Planet), nor am I getting paid to write this...although I did have the idea while I was at work and planned the plot while day dreaming while I worked...so technically, I was getting paid!

**Happy Haunting**

_Part_ _1_

"What is wrong Wheeler?" Linka asks as she notes that Wheeler is sitting at the kitchen table, picking at the food on the plate before him. "Are you sick?"

"No, Ma-Ti is."

"What? Is it serious?"

"I don't know. I don't think so. Just a cold or something," he says.

"Bozhe moy, the way you were acting, it was as if you just found out he only has months to live!" she jokes.

"Nah, nothing that serious. I guess I'm just being selfish…we had plans to go somewhere, and now we can't."

"Oh, I did not know you two were dating," she teases, trying to lighten his mood.

"Ha ha Babe, real funny."

"I am sorry Wheeler. Obviously you were really looking forward to this. SO what were your plans if I may ask?"

"What do you know about Halloween?"

"The actual meaning or the candy and costumes part?" She asks.

"I thought the candy and costumes WAS the actual meaning…whatever…so you get the basics…the traditional stuff?"

"Da."

"Well, I was telling Ma-Ti about the stuff that my friends and I used to do and he sounded interested…thought it sounded fun. So I thought it'd be cool for him to get to experience it. When I was younger, there was this thing called 'Fear Fest' that I always wanted to go to, but could never get tickets. I finally got them but now I guess I won't be going. It's not gonna be any fun going alone."

"Did you ask anyone else? Kwame perhaps?"

"He's not interested. I don't really think it's Gi's cup of tea…and you…well…you're too…serious for this sort of thing."

She quirks her eyebrow at him.

"And what sort of thing would that be?"

"Umm, you know…fun stuff."

"I like having fun Yankee!"

"Oh! Yeah! I didn't mean it like that…I just meant that your idea of fun and mine were different…like, you wouldn't be amused by the same things that I am…that's all I meant…not that you didn't know how to have fun."

"I am not so sure I believe you! You think I am boring!"

"No! No, not at all…I'm just sayin'…our ideas of fun differ. What you find enjoyable, I don't…and what I find entertaining, you find it to be…stupid."

"I do not think that the things you enjoy are stupid…do you think the things I enjoy are stupid?" She asks.

"No, I think they're boring."

"I KNEW IT!" She says as she playfully slaps his arm.

"Noooooo, I said I thought the things you enjoyed were boring…not that YOU were boring."

"Ooooh, I see," she says with a smile.

He smiles back at her and says.

"As long as we're clear."

A moment of silence passes before Linka finally says,

"So are you going to ask me if I want to go to this thing or not?"

"Are you serious? You want to go?"

"Do you not want to go?"

"Yeah! Of course I do! But I don't want you to feel like you have to go out of pity…or to prove a point."

"The point being that I DO know how to have fun?" She asks pointedly.

"Yeah," he says sheepishly as he blushes. "Don't you even want to know what goes on at Fear Fest? It's not just something you go to for a few hours. It lasts a few days," he explains.

"Do you not think that you can tolerate me for a few days?"

"No, it's not that…I just didn't know if you'd want to tolerate me," he admits.

"After all these years, I have built up a tolerance to you Yankee!"

"Yeah, I've noticed," he leers.

"If your bad pick up lines are the scariest thing I will have to put up with, I think I can handle Fear Fest!"

"I don't know Babe…the first day is a scary movie marathon, several different theaters playing all sorts of scary classics: Psycho, Halloween, all the Friday the 13th movies, all the Nightmare on Elm Street movies…Then there's some newer ones like all the Saw movies…and some un-scary, "scary" movies like Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, know what I mean?"

"I have never seen those last ones."

"You're not missing anything, trust me."

"So what else besides the movies?"

"Well, the sleeping arrangements are going to be the scariest part I think…it's haunted."

"What's haunted? A hotel?"

"Not exactly. It's an old abandoned psychiatric facility. It used to be a prison for the insane. And now there are no creature comforts…no beds, no electricity…just like camping…only haunted."

"Just because it is an old, run down building does not make it haunted Wheeler!"

"True…but all the paranormal activity that has been documented there does…it's all in the pamphlet if you wanna read it. It's in my room."

"I do not believe in ghosts, Yankee."

"Good, then you won't be scared…but I do…so don't be surprised if you wake up in the middle of the night and I'm huddled next to you for protection."

"Da, sure, use a fear of make believe ghosts as an excuse to cuddle."

"I didn't say 'cuddle,' I said 'huddle'…there's a difference."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I can't explain it though…it'd be easier if I showed you," he says with a wink.

"I guess I will find out when you are scared and _huddled_ next to me."

"Still haven't scared you out of going?" He asks.

"You mean the potential to wake up and see you cowered next to me…or the potential to see ghosts?"

"Aww Babe, you're gonna hurt my feelings!"

"I am not scared Yankee…I am intrigued. Anything else I should know about?"

"The second day is a costume party…they have to be scary though. I'm going to go as a Vampire."

"I do not have time to get a costume," she says.

"So make one…we can go as a couple…uh, I didn't mean…not like that…I meant…a themed pair…ahh, duo."

"You think I should be a vampire as well?"

"I was thinking more like you could be my vampire's victim. I got this really cool make up kit and it came with these movie FX things…they adhere to your skin to look like bite marks. And there's this gel blood that goes on them, and it has a dripping affect…I think that'd look real cool."

"What should I wear?" She asks.

"You can probably find something in your closet…or maybe it'll be a nice excuse for you to go shopping. Get a black dress, something…dressy, elegant, but…uhh sexy…for lack of a better word."

"I uhh, think I may have something that would work."

"Really?!" He says, shocked and intrigued. "Any particular reason?"

"It was an impulse buy…a 'just in case' dress. Just in case we had to go somewhere where formal wear or an evening dress was necessary."

"W-we?" He asks hopefully.

"Da, you know how we went to Senora Salvador's dedication ceremony a few years ago for that pollution reducing train system?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I cannot wear the same thing all the time if we have other similar functions to go to, so I got a few more dresses."

"Oh."

Wheeler was a little disappointed that the _we_ she was talking about wasn't _him_ and _her_ but the entire group.

"So when is this thing?" She asks.

"Uh, tomorrow morning."

"So soon? I must get ready then!"

"I can't believe you really want to go."

"Well, it seems important to you and it sounds fun…so if you do not mind letting me tag along instead of Ma-Ti…"

"No, that's not it at all! I was looking forward to this before…now I'm _REALLY_ looking forward to it."

"Me too," Linka says as she leaves the kitchen, thinking about how nice it will be to get to spend some time alone with Wheeler. He seems to be a different person when he's not putting on a show for the others. And she knows she's a different person when they're not around as well. This weekend away is definitely going to be one to remember.

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks for the reviews. This is practically writing itself!

* * *

**_Happy Haunting_**

_Part 2_

Linka and Wheeler arrive at Fear Fest the next day.

"There are not as many people here as I thought there would be," Linka observes.

"Nope. Tickets are limited, that's why I was so disappointed when I thought I couldn't go. I've been trying to score tickets for years. There's a waiting list. They only hold it on the weekends in October. There's only gonna be about 50 people here."

"Will it not be less scary if there are more people around?" Linka asks.

"What's the point of that? I didn't pay 100 bucks a ticket to _NOT_ be scared!"

"You _WANT_ to be scared?"

"Hell yeah! It's such an adrenaline rush."

And he also wanted Linka to be scared. He was hoping that the opportunity to make her feel protected would arise.

"Then no wonder you can be so reckless sometimes! You are a thrill seeker."

"Guilty."

They check in and give their tickets to the attendant. Only a few people have arrived, and none of them have gone inside to put their things away. They are too busy looking around.

One of the workers comes up to the group and tells them that they can go inside anytime to put their things away. The group enters the asylum and they all head in the same direction…all except Wheeler.

"Where are you going Yankee? The others are all going this way."

"Exactly," he says as he grabs her wrist and pulls her along. "Where's the fun in that?"

Wheeler heads down the hallway until he finds what he's looking for…a padded cell.

"Solitary confinement," he says.

"Very funny…now let us go, before we lose the rest of the group," she says as she tries to pull him away.

"That's the point," he says as he wiggles his eyebrows. "What's wrong Babe? I thought you didn't believe in ghosts."

"I do not believe in ghosts!"

"Are you scared?"

"Nyet!"

"Cuz if you're scared, I guess we can go with the crowd…"

"I am not scared! This is fine. I can stay here…no problem," she said, sounding like she was trying to convince herself more than she was trying to convince Wheeler.

They lay out their sleeping bags and set their luggage in the corner.

"There, now it's home," Wheeler states. "Cozy huh?"

"It is not so bad."

"Yeah…you say that now, but wait until the sun goes down!"

"If you are trying to scare me, it will not work…and you will just end up scaring yourself…so do not come crying to me when you cannot sleep or have nightmares tonight!" She warns.

"We'll see who cracks first. Wanna go start with the movies?"

"Da, which one shall we see first?"

"Well, since we were just talking about nightmares, why don't get start off with some Nightmare on Elm Street action?"

"I have never seen it."

"I haven't seen it since I was a kid…and I couldn't make it all the way through…this one will definitely stay with you when you close your eyes!"

"How bad can it be?"

"I don't know…why don't you tell me when you can't sleep tonight!" He teases.

"You are just trying to find ways to keep me up so _YOU_ will have company when _YOU_ cannot sleep!" She retorts.

* * *

They find the make shift theater, basically a tent with a TV and cushioned park benches, playing Nightmare on Elm Street and are the only ones there.

"It seems no one else likes this movie," Linka says.

"They don't know what they're missing. They're probably all watching the Saw Marathon."

A few more people join Wheeler and Linka before the movie starts. Things are going exactly as Wheeler hoped they would. Each time Linka would get startled, she'd lean a little closer to him. Wheeler had his arm resting along the back of the bench, but at one point, when Linka turned her head and hid her eyes against his shoulder, he put his arm around her to soothingly rub her shoulder.

"Told you it was a good one," he whispered.

"It is not so much that it is scary as it is startling and disgusting. Things jump out, or the music gets loud, or there are gross scenes…but da, you were right…it is good," she says as she leans a little further into him. Neither one of them can see how big the other one's smile is.

Once the movie ends, they don't move.

"What next?" She asks.

"You pick," he says as he pulls the play list out of his pocket.

"Have you ever seen The Exorcist?"

"Nope, believe it or not. It's a classic and I've never seen it."

"Me neither…but I have heard a lot about it, and it starts playing in ten minutes."

"Shall we?" Wheeler asks as he stands up and holds his hand out to help her up.

He's slightly encouraged when she doesn't let go as they walk to the next tent.

* * *

By the time this movie starts, they are the only ones in the theater and have resumed their former position of Linka sitting close to him and him with his arm around her. That becomes their permanent position at each movie they see.

Several movies later, dinner is served. Wheeler and Linka talk to the other people in attendance as they eat. One couple in particular was telling the group about how they'd come here years ago as friends and have been together ever since, 15 years and three children later.

"So what was your secret?" Wheeler asks the guy quietly, "Protect her from all the scariness?"

"Protect her? More like she protected me! Made me forget all about the fact that we were sleeping in the same cell as the souls of the criminally insane!"

"So did you act scared so she'd get a little closer?"

"Act? You've never been here before have you buddy?" The guy asks with a laugh.

"Uh, no. This is the first time I've been able to get tickets. I've been on the waiting list for years."

"There's no 'acting' scared. You ARE scared. Once it gets dark, that asylum becomes the scariest place you've ever seen. The lights are run by a generator, so they're constantly flickering on and off, there's noises that you don't hear during the day, a cold breeze brushing by you, even though there's no windows…didn't you know what you were getting yourself into, did you?"

"Yeah, I did. I'm just not scared I guess. I know what to expect and don't scare easily…besides, I've seen some pretty crazy stuff in my life and my job…it's gonna take a lot to surprise me," Wheeler says confidently.

The guy laughs and extends his hand to Wheeler.

"It was nice to meet you. I look forward to talking to you tomorrow to see how you made out."

"Ha! I don't kiss and tell!" Wheeler jokes as he nudges the guy with his elbow.

The guy chuckles in acknowledgement of Wheeler's joke.

"I meant I look forward to hearing how your night goes…if you make it through the night! I recommend you take the hayride, and tour the tunnels underneath the asylum!"

Wheeler walks over to stand by Linka as she finishes her conversation with some of the other guests.

"What next Yankee? Another movie?"

"Nah, my butt is starting to get numb from all that sitting…unless there is something you wanted to see?"

"Nyet, I think I have had my fill of having my heart rate speed up and feeling like I have to vomit!"

"Wanna go on the hayride? They give you the history of the asylum, the stories of the abuse that went on here, the occurrences of paranormal activity…you know, just the stuff you want to hear right before going to bed inside the place!"

"Ok…I suppose learning the history of this place will be interesting."

"Let's go…if we hurry, we can make it, if not, it's another hour until the next ride."

They arrive just in time, but seating was limited.

"Ok, folks, everyone scoot closer together…later on tonight, you're gonna wish you had someone that close to you…come on then…we need room for a few more…" the tour guide says.

Wheeler, Linka, and a few of the others take their seats, but one more person still needs a seat.

"Stand up a sec," Wheeler says.

He slides over and takes Linka's spot, then pulls her back down to sit on his lap.

"Is this ok?" He asks Linka.

"Da, it better than being crammed uncomfortably between people…are you comfortable though? I am not too heavy?"

"Light as a feather. Can't even tell you're here," he says as he reaches around to hold onto her, then addresses the tour guide. "Hey buddy is this ok? Not breaking any safety rules are we?"

"No, that's fine…as a matter of fact, I encourage anyone else here that would like to hold their loved ones close to do so…when I get done telling you the story of St. Lucifer's Asylum for the criminally insane, you will want someone to hold you until it is time for you to leave."

Linka blushes at the misconception that she and Wheeler are a couple, but neither one of them corrects him.

The hayride begins, following a trail deep into the woods, as the tour guide begins his speech,

"If spirits are actually the personalities of those who once lived and refused to cross over to the other side at the moment of death, then wouldn't these spirits reflect the turmoil of that former life? And if hauntings are the residual effects of trauma being imprinted on the atmosphere of a location, then wouldn't places where terror and insanity were commonplace be especially prone to these hauntings?"

"Oooooh, spooky…scared yet Babe?" Wheeler whispers in her ear.

"You wish, Yankee!" She whispers back.

As the trailer goes deeper into the woods, the speaker continues:

"So what are insane asylums? Before the advent of modern psychiatric drugs, mentally ill people were housed in asylums. These institutions often housed hundreds of patients ranging from people with mild mental illness to full-blown psychotics, which is what St. Lucifer's was used for. Alcoholics, derelicts, homeless people, Civil War veterans suffering post-traumatic stress disorder and even the elderly were left in the care of psychiatric institutions. These so-called insane asylums were often huge buildings with hundreds of wards and treatment rooms. Many were humane places offering the most advanced care of the time, but some developed sinister reputations for cruelty and treatments that would now be deemed barbaric. St. Lucifer's was such a place."

"Lots of haunted souls I'm sure," Wheeler whispers to her once again.

This time, she has no comeback, just nods slowly.

The tour guide pauses to allow questions from the crowd.

"Can you tell us about any of the things that happened at St. Lucifer's?" One of the people asks.

"One incident in particular is the most well known haunting. A prisoner was found dead in his cell. He'd been there for days before anyone even noticed. The official ruling was that he died of exposure, frozen to death because of the lack of heat and proper bedding. Once the body was removed, workers cleaned the room, but the ghostly outline of his corpse returned. Stronger cleaning solvents were used on the cement floor, but the outline always returns. I have here, a photograph of the infamous stain. Pass it around and see for yourselves…and when we get back to the facility, if anyone is staying in cell 49, check out the stain on the floor…and then feel free to switch rooms…it's ok…we won't judge."

The crowd chuckles uncomfortably as they each try to recall what cell they chose to stay in. The picture makes its way to Wheeler and Linka for them to examine.

"I wonder what kinda crazy shit went on in solitary confinement? Those gotta be the most tortured souls of them all," Wheeler says to her.

"Stop it! This picture could have very easily been made up on photo shop!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night Babe-ushka."

Someone else asks,

"What are some of the things that are associated with the paranormal activity?"

"Orbs, strange odors, and disembodied whispers also abound in the halls. Paranormal activity at the site consists mostly of sounds, possibly a residual haunting from the lengthy history of the prison. Visitors hear footsteps, cell doors opening and closing, and whispers. Sometimes visitors hear the squeak of wheels as if someone is pushing a wheelchair or a gurney through the old halls."

"Explain that Babe?"

"It is just the mind playing tricks…which is exactly the point of this hayride! The guide tells us all these things so subconsciously, we are listening for them…and eventually, our brains will trick us into hearing it," she whispers back to him.

"So you're gonna hear things tonight…and you won't be scared because you've got yourself convinced that it's just your mind playing tricks?"

"Da."

"So what if we both hear the same thing?" He asks.

"Then it means that you are making noises to try and scare me, and I am warning you right now Yankee…" she says as she holds her fist up and points her ring at him, "…if you intentionally keep me up all night, I will blow you so hard…"

She stops when Wheeler snorts as he tries to hold in his laughter as he says,

"Is that a promise or a threat?"

"What?!"

"Never mind," he says as he shares a look and a chuckle with the guy sitting next to them.

A little more time has passed as the guide continues,

"So why keep an abandoned building like this up? Why not knock it down and build a shopping mall? One wonders if paranormal activity will continue as it has on so many other sites where buildings have been demolished, but spirits remain."

"I'd say a shopping mall would be scarier! Especially if we let you and Gi loose on it!" Wheeler jokes as he gives Linka a squeeze, trying to loosen her up.

"You will notice that the building still contains apparatuses used to restrain former occupants. They are bolted to the floors and walls, such as chairs used to restrain violent prisoners, bathtubs equipped with wrist and neck shackles, and shackles bolted into walls."

The guy next to Wheeler leans over and says to him,

"Hey buddy, just remember those shackles are pretty old and they probably don't have the keys to them anymore, so I don't recommend you and your girlfriend try anything kinky!"

Wheeler laughs, but hopes that Linka doesn't get what the guy is insinuating.

"And if I hear any weird noises in the night, I'm just gonna assume it's you gettin' lucky!" The guy continues.

"If that is what you need to think in order to help you sleep tonight, then go right ahead, but I can assure you, that is **NOT** what you will be hearing!" Linka says.

_Oh no! She gets it!_ Wheeler thinks to himself.

"Uh, yeah," Wheeler says, trying to salvage any chance he may have of Linka ever talking to him again. "We're just friends, so any sounds you hear…definitely ghosts…or her smothering me with a pillow."

She turns to look at him and smiles, letting him know that she does not blame him for the things that the other guy assumed about them…after all, they were sitting together rather cozily. Anyone would have assumed that they were a couple…and if Linka were being honest with herself, she didn't mind if people thought that.

As the hayride is drawing to a close and approaching the abandoned asylum, the tour guide concludes his speech:

"Long ago, it was boarded up, abandoned, left for dead...St. Lucifer's Asylum for the Mentally Insane. Once there were over 12,000 patients and a staff of 700; a cutting edge psychiatric hospital specializing in electroshock therapy. But things were far from normal; patients frequently chewing their tongues off, body counts unusually high. Many patients disappearing into the five miles of underground tunnels. The stories of macabre events happening to innocent people were told everywhere, such as the young boy who awoke to find the mark of St. Lucifer's on his arm, later discovering he had a twin who died here. Or the retired nurse who gouged out her own eyeballs while riding the elevator in a department store. St. Lucifer's was called evil, haunted...then the state ordered it closed in 1974. Enter St. Lucifer's and discover for yourself the meaning of fear."

Linka unconsciously tightened her grip on Wheeler's arms, which were still resting around her waist.

"So many people, many emotionally disturbed, suffered and died within these walls. Some investigators believe that such intense energy leaves specific imprints on a location. Decide for yourselves," the guide concludes.

Everyone stands and disembarks the trailer, making way for the next group of passengers.

"Now what?" Linka asks.

Before Wheeler has a chance to answer her, another of the employees speaks up.

"The miles of tunnels you heard about on the hayride are open to the public. We have maps of the tunnels available for purchase, which we highly recommend. We also recommend that you DO NOT go alone. Find a partner, or a group. You DO NOT want to get lost alone down there."

"I wanna do that!" Wheeler says. "Unless you're scared."

"Of the dark? Nyet, I am not scared of the dark. I am not too keen on the idea that there may be spiders and vermin down there, but I have taken care of worse in my days with the Planeteers."

"Ok then! Let's go!" Wheeler says as he holds out his hand to Linka. He notices that she's holding it just a little tighter than she had been earlier in the day.

* * *

To Be Continued...


	3. Chapter 3

Hey everyone, Wheeler wanted me to pass this message along to you!:

"Happy Halloween everyone. If you're going out, be safe. Doesn't look like this fic is going to be done until AFTER halloween, so you gotta stay safe if you wanna read the rest! And you wanna read all about how I get Linka to fall for me, right?!"

* * *

**_Happy Haunting_**

_Part 3_

"Wait, aren't you going to buy a map?" She asks as Wheeler heads for the asylum and completely ignores the map vendor.

"Are you kidding? It's just a ploy for them to make more money off of us!"

"Do not be so cheap! I will buy it!"

"I'm not being cheap, I'm being practical…that dude that we were sitting next to on the hayride is buying a map…now we just listen to the worker's suggestion and form a group…and I'll use that five bucks that I saved on the map to buy you dinner."

"Dinner?! What kind of dinner? A number eight on the value meal menu?!"

"Noooooo," he says smartly, "...you can have whatever number you want!"

"You are too good to me Yankee," she says dryly as she rolls her eyes.

"Only the best for you Babe…I aim to please," he jokes as he puts his arm around her to give her a playful squeeze and she lightly elbows him in the ribs.

"Come on, I packed a flashlight in my bag. Let's go get it and then we'll go join the others…a man with a flashlight will be a welcome addition to the group with a map! And it'll seem less like I'm mooching off their map!"

"I do not know whether to think you are a jerk, or a genius!" She teases.

"I'll let you hold off on that decision until AFTER we finish the tunnel tour…but for now, we gotta get that flashlight and grab a group or else we'll be the last ones left."

* * *

They go back to their room to retrieve Wheeler's flashlight from his bag and Linka stops short of entering.

"Very funny Yankee."

"What?" He says from behind her, failing to see what she's referring too.

"What did you do with my sleeping bag?"

"Nothing," he says as he enters the room and notices that his sleeping bag is the only one in the room. "You were the one that carried it in here and put it down."

"Da, and now it is gone!"

"And why would you think I had anything to do with that?! I was with you the whole time."

"What about after dinner? You were talking to Mr. Richards…did you have him take it?! I know you like to be a practical joker…so good one…now go get my sleeping bag back!"

"Babe, I swear to God…I was just talking to Mr. Richards for advice on…uhh, things to do here to make the experience…good for both of us…fun, I mean. Things to do. He was the one that suggested the hay ride." Wheeler decided to not mention that fact that he'd actually asked Mr. Richards for advice on 'how to get the girl.' Considering the circumstances, it might make him look more guilty.

"Then somebody stole it! I cannot believe this!"

"Or maybe it's…nah, forget it."

"Maybe it is what?"

"Ghosts," he says as he pulls the flashlight out of his bag, turns it on to test it, and holds it up to his face to cast an eerie shadow.

"Shut up! That is ridiculous and you know it!"

"After everything you just heard that tour guide say…you still don't believe?"

"Nyet. It is immature and impossible!"

"I guess I just like believing in the impossible."

"Why?" She asks.

"I don't know. I guess it gives me hope…when something you never think will happen, happens…" he says with a hint of melancholy in his voice. "Let's go."

The conversation continues as they head back to find a group to join in exploring the tunnels.

"Well in this case, I think it is more likely that someone stole my sleeping bag and I want it back."

"Ok, we'll ask around. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding."

"You mean someone mistakenly came into a room that is clearly occupied and helped themselves to my stuff? They left our luggage and your sleeping bag…why mine?!" She asks in frustration.

"Maybe they thought you wouldn't be needing it…everyone here assumes we're…together…maybe they forgot their sleeping bag and figured we wouldn't mind sharing one."

"Well I do mind!" She says and pauses a beat before adding, "No offense."

"I know I'm supposed to say 'none taken' but when someone so adamantly lets you know that they find the idea of being close to you so repulsive…"

"That is not how I meant it Wheeler! I mind because when someone takes something of yours, it feels like you've been violated in some way. Understand?"

"Yeah, I suppose."

"And besides, you have to admit…it would be…awkward…and inappropriate."

"Sleeping? What's inappropriate about sleeping?"

"I am sorry Wheeler…perhaps it is our different backgrounds, but sharing a bed with someone of the opposite sex is not something that I was raised to do…and to treat it so casually."

"Fine. You can have my sleeping bag. I'll just sleep on the floor…or lean up against the wall…at least they're padded."

"I have a better idea…we can find out what happened to MY sleeping bag. I am sure once we explain the situation, whoever took it will return it."

"Yeah, probably."

Although Wheeler wasn't thrilled about the fact that they'd now be announcing to all these people that contrary to their assumptions, Linka was not his girlfriend. He already had a good idea about which group of boys would be the first to make a move on her. The frat boys. And they'd be just her type too. Preppy, nicely dressed, well spoken, charming…or at least that's what they'd want her to think.

Speaking of, it looks like those are the only people left who haven't gone into the tunnels. They are standing around, examining the map…as if trying to memorize the map before descending into the dark pits of the tunnels.

"Hey, you fellas mind if we tag along? I got a flashlight."

"Sure!" But they seem less interested in Wheeler's flashlight and more interested in his companion, just as he'd suspected.

After introductions are made, the group makes their way into the tunnels. There are some lights, but it is dim and they had a tendency to flicker on and off. Linka decides to help take her mind off her unease about the tunnels by bringing up the subject of her sleeping bag.

"Have any of you happened to see a blue sleeping bag with a logo of a green globe on it? Mine has gone missing from our room."

"Oooh, maybe it was a ghost?" The one named Devon jokes.

"I was thinking more along the lines of someone forgetting theirs and _borrowing_ mine," she says.

"What's wrong? Won't Wheeler share?" A handsome blonde named Jonathan says. "I'm a gentleman…I'll gladly share mine!"

His buddies all snicker and bump fists. Wheeler seethes.

Linka takes his hand in hers and rubs his arm with her free hand.

"Thank you for the offer, but Wheeler has beaten you too it…the problem with that is, we will not be able to control ourselves, and this is neither the time, nor the place for the usual romantic nights that we normally spend together. We should be respectful of the dead and the tortured spirits that are suffering, right?"

"Uh, yeah…I guess," Jonathan says, dejectedly.

Linka is blushing, but looks up at Wheeler when he squeezes her hand. He's glad that she decided to use him as a way to deflect the advances of the Beta Boys…even if she didn't mean anything she said.

They come to a choice between two different tunnels to take.

"I can't read this damn map," Ethan says. "It's like a frickin' maze."

"Lemme see," Wheeler says as he takes the map. "Well, we came down this one and haven't made any turns. So we should still be here. If we take this one, it leads to more tunnels…if we take the one on the left, it leads to a dead end, but there's a room here."

"Whoa dude, do you have to say 'dead end' at a time like this," Collin asks.

"Sorry, I thought Linka was the only _girl_ here," Wheeler responds as the other boys all razz Collin for his momentary lapse in manhood.

"I vote we take the one on the left…see what room it leads to," Devon says. "Then we can turn around and take the other one."

The others all agree with this choice. Once they get to the room, Wheeler opens the door to reveal a chair with shackles.

"It's like some kinda torture chamber!" Jonathan says.

"Nyet, look at that box on the wall!"

"It's a breaker box," Wheeler says.

"Da…this is where they conducted electro-shock therapy."

"They'd electrocute people?" Collin asks.

"Da, the early stages of psychiatric study, it was believed that sending electric impulses through the body would…what is the word?"

"Re-wire?" Wheeler offers.

"Da! Re-wire the brain and all the things that were mentally wrong with a person would be…re-booted."

"Like a computer?" Ethan asks.

"Da."

"So shocking the shit outta someone was supposed to be the equivalent of control, alt, delete?" Jonathan asks.

"That is one way of looking at it I suppose," Linka says.

"This room is too freakin' spooky!" Devon says.

"I'm with you man. Let's get the hell outta here," Ethan says.

* * *

They make their way back to the original tunnel they came down and take the tunnel on the right. There's another door along the hallway.

"Should we?" Devon asks.

"Can't be worse than the electric chair torture room!" Collin says.

They soon find out that indeed, it CAN get worse. There is a table with shackles on it for arms, legs, and one for around the head. There are plastic tubes hanging from an old IV stand and blood stains around a drain on the floor.

"What the hell is this?" Wheeler asks.

"This is most likely where they practiced the treatment of 'blood letting,'" Linka explains. "Another old belief as to what made people crazy was 'bad blood.' They believed that humoral balance was the basis of health and illness. The four humors were black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood…blood being the most dominant and important. Bloodletting was used to treat over one hundred ailments; acne, asthma, cancer, coma, convulsions, diabetes, gangrene, indigestion, leprosy, plague, pneumonia, scurvy, smallpox, stroke, tuberculosis, and insanity to name a few. They would drain blood from these people to get that so called 'bad blood' out of them."

"Seriously? What in the world made them think that was a reasonable solution?" Ethan asks.

Linka nods and blushes as she says,

"The uh…concept was modeled from the process of menstruation. It was believed that menstruation 'purged the bad humors' from women."

"HA!" Wheeler barks. "I can see where they'd assume that…living with two girls…you…observe certain things…like when is a good time to avoid them!"

Linka smacks him.

"OUCH!"

"As I was saying, physicians would recommend the blood letting, but not perform it…Barbers would."

"Barbers? As in the guys that cut hair?"

"Da…You know that red and white striped pole outside of barber shops?"

"Yeah."

"That is what they represent…the red being the blood being drawn, the white being the tourniquet, and even the pole itself represented the stick that people would squeeze to dilate their veins."

"Cool…sort of…" Devon says.

"Wonder what this thing was used for?" Wheeler says as he picks up a brass box.

"Careful Yankee! Who knows what sort of blood borne diseases are on that?!"

"You know what this thing is for Babe?"

"It is for 'less severe' blood letting. That series of blades is for puncturing and scraping the skin, instead of cutting a vein."

"Gross!" Wheeler says as he carefully puts the contraption down.

"You sure do know a lot about this stuff," Jonathan says in a flirty tone. "Brains and beauty…How'd you get so smart?"

Before she can answer, the lights go out.

"What the hell?" One of them exclaims.

"Just give it a few seconds, it's just the generator…they'll come back on," another one tries to reassure them.

"Maybe we should head back out into the hallway," a third suggests.

"Here, I got the flashlight," Wheeler says as he turns it on.

Wheeler moves away from the table he was standing by and makes his way to Linka's side, instinctively reaching for her hand. He no sooner takes it and the flashlight shuts off.

"Wheeler, now is not the time for…"

He releases her hand and starts banging the flashlight against his palm.

"I'm not playin' Lin. It just stopped working."

"Chyort voz mi! How could you not remember to make sure you had fresh batteries?!"

"I did! I swear! They were brand new, right out of the package!"

"Come on, let's just make our way to the door and…"

Devon is interrupted by Ethan,

"How? We can't see a damn thing! I say we just stay here for now. Stay put. If we move around too much, who knows what we could run into and get tetanus or something?"

"Then we'll bleed you and cure you of it!" Jonathan jokes.

"Not funny dude."

The bickering between the frat boys goes back and forth, half want to stay, half want to go. Wheeler reaches out to Linka and feels around until he brushes his hand against her arm, and then runs it downwards towards her hand. He slowly backs up and out the door, pulling her along with him. She holds onto his arm, hugging it to her.

"Wheeler, where are we going?" She whispers.

"Ever notice on Scooby Doo, when they're in the haunted mansion, boat, amusement park…whatever the location happens to be, they always split up, you know?"

"Nyet, I do not know."

"Well, they do…and things always work out for the best."

"But it is dark and we are alone…should we not stick with the group?"

"You're half right…we're alone…but it's not dark," he says as he switches on the flashlight.

"Wheeler! It worked the whole time?!"

"Yep."

"Why would you do that!?"

"I didn't like the way that Jonathan guy was looking at you…when the lights cut off, I saw the perfect opportunity to make our escape."

"Da, but they have the map!"

"Actually…" Wheeler says as he holds up the folded piece of paper.

"How did you…?"

"When we were first looking at the map…I was the one that was interpreting it because our college educated geniuses couldn't tell up from down…I just _neglected_ to give it back to them."

"Once again...I cannot figure out whether you are a jerk, or a genius!"

"If you wanna go back...I mean, if you're conscious is making you feel guilty..."

"Nyet...not that much anyway. That one was coming on a little strong and making me feel uncomfortable," she admits.

"Kinda like I do?"

"Nyet, of course not. It is different when it is you...I **know** you. I am used to you...I **expect** it from you. That guy is a stranger, he does not know me, and even after I tried to lead him to believe that we were...a couple...he still persisted."

"Well then...let's forget about them. They'll be fine once the lights come back on."

They walk further through the tunnels in silence until Wheeler speaks up,

"Speaking of Scooby Doo…ever wonder what Fred and Daphne did when they split up from the rest of the group?"

"Yankee, I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"You've never seen Scooby Doo?"

"Nyet. I know it's a talking dog and kids solving crimes. That is all."

"Too busy learning about old school psychiatric treatments?"

"Da, something like that!" She chuckles.

This light banter between her and Wheeler lets her momentarily forget how scared she is. It's having the same affect on him as well.

"So anyway, when they were solving cases and they'd split up, Fred and Daphne would end up going off together, and I always wondered if they were a couple…I thought that they should be."

"Cartoon characters?"

"Yeah…you've never watched a TV show and sensed a chemistry between two characters…hoped that they'd hook up?"

"Well sure…but those are humans, portraying humans…not cartoon characters!"

"What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic!"

"You are hopeless alright!" She teases as she gives his arm a squeeze.

"Did I mention that Fred and Daphne were a blonde and a red head?"

"Nyet…you did not…but I am failing to see the relevance."

"There's none…just making an observation."

She smiles, even though he can't see her.

Wheeler examines the map for a moment.

"We can keep going this way, see what's behind some of these other doors, or we can go back the way we came and get outta here."

"What's wrong Wheeler? Scared?"

"No way. The only thing I'm worried about is your safety."

"I feel very safe right now," she says as she squeezes the hand that's connected to the arm that she's still hugging to her.

"That's because you are," he replies.

"So then let us keep going. The history of this place is so interesting…and yet so sad."

"Yeah, I know…I can't believe they treated people that way! I mean, I know that back then, they didn't really know much about medicine and treatment as we do nowadays, but it still seems so barbaric, ya know?"

"Da."

"Do you think that the spirits here can tell the good people from the bad? The ones that are here to exploit their suffering for their own entertainment?"

"Would that not be exactly what you are doing?"

"Yeah…at first…but seeing all these shackles, the electroshock therapy room, the blood letting devices…I feel bad for the people that had to spend their lives here. Do you think that if the spirits know that we have compassion for their suffering, they'll leave us alone?"

"Wheeler, keep in mind, these were not good people. They were criminals."

"Yeah, but they couldn't help it…it was their mental illness that made them do the things they did. Think of all the people out there that are living with mental illnesses. With the medications and treatment that they're getting now, they can live relatively normal lives. Sure, there are still some psychos out there that do some crazy shit, but there's also the people that realize they have a problem and do what they can to regulate it."

"Da, but if such a thing as spirits DID exist, these spirits would be the spirits of those who did not have the luxury of modern treatment. They would be the same in death as they were in life…uncaring, incapable of having feelings such as compassion, or knowing right from wrong. They would not care that we feel bad for them. To them, we are no different than anyone else here…the people who mistreated them years ago, or the people who have been coming here for years to exploit their suffering."

"Well…so much for trying to convince myself that these spirits mean us no harm and forget about being scared!"

"I have a way to convince you," she says.

"Oh you do, do you?" He says suggestively.

"Da," she says, mocking his tone.

He stops walking and pulls her closer towards him so that he can see her face in the dim glow cast by the flashlight. He then leans down so that their faces are inches apart.

"How?"

She cocks her head to the side and whispers,

"By telling you something you should already know."

Wheeler takes a deep breath and licks his lips.

"And what's that?" He asks softly.

She pauses, carefully planning how she's going to say her next words. She looks into his eyes and says,

"That ghosts do not exist!"

Then she bursts into laughter. Wheeler stands up straight and throws his head back in frustration as he groans.

"I shoulda known better! I walked right into that one."

"What?" She asks innocently. "What did you think I was going to say?"

"Come on, according to the map, there's another room down here on the left. Let's see what's in it," he says, expertly changing the subject.

* * *

To Be Continued...

I hope you're finding all of Linka's facts interesting. It was stuff that I learned in college while minoring in psychology. I remember thinking how horrible these "treatments" were and when I had an idea for this haunting fic, the asylum for the criminally insane seemed like a perfect place, based on what I'd learned in school.


	4. Chapter 4

Halloween is over, but the story isn't! Thanks for reading and reviewing!

* * *

**_Happy Haunting_**

_Part 4_

As they're walking down the corridor, a sudden movement scurrying in front of them startles Linka. She jumps and grabs onto Wheeler.

He puts his arm around her for comfort and casts the beam from the flashlight across the floor, spotlighting a small group of rats who stop and glare back at them, unhappy with being disturbed by the humans invading their territory.

"It's cool Babe…just a couple of Skumm's better looking relatives…you didn't think it was ghosts did you?"

"Nyet! I just…I hate rats."

"Linka! I never thought I'd ever hear you say you hated any sort of animal!" He teases. "So you must be lying. It's ok if you're scared of the spirits!"

"I am not! And ok, I do not _hate _rats. It is just…they…they remind me of Skumm…and you know how I feel about him."

"Yeah, I know…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to bring it up."

"It is ok."

Wheeler keeps his arm around her as they continue on their way. They arrive at the door they were searching for and Wheeler opens it.

"Ladies first," he says.

"No way Yankee! But nice try!"

"What? I'm just trying to be a gentleman."

"Da…sure you were. I think you are just too scared to go in first!"

Wheeler starts to walk through the door to prove her wrong.

"Whatev-aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" He exclaims as he begins frantically swatting and brushing the web off of him.

"What is wrong?" Linka asks.

"SPIDER WEB! I HATE SPIDERS! Yuck!" He says as he continues brushing at his clothes. "I feel like it's on me."

"What? The web?"

"No, the spider!" He replies as he takes off his jacket and begins shaking it out, trying to rid it of any eight legged foes. "Do you see anything?"

"Give me the flashlight," she says as she holds her hand out for it.

She walks around him, running the light over his body, examining him for spiders.

"Nyet, there are no spiders on you."

He then begins scrubbing his face with his hands and combing his fingers through his hair.

"Then why does it feel like it's all over me!"

"Hold still," she says as she reaches up and runs her hands through his hair.

Wheeler looks down at her and smiles. She looks him in the eye and returns his smile, biting her lip as she concentrates on ridding him of the webbing in his hair and fighting the urge to stand up on her toes, and pull him down to her for a kiss.

She finishes brushing her fingers through his hair, and then wipes her hands off on her shirt to get the sticky webs off of them.

"Feel better?" She asks him.

"Yeah."

The lights flicker back on momentarily, and then come on for good.

"It's a bathroom," Wheeler observes.

"Look, the bathtub has the hand, feet, and head restraints just like the guide said!"

"Wow…hearing about it is one thing, seeing it is another."

The lights go out once again, cloaking them in darkness.

"Not again!" Linka says.

"Hold on," Wheeler says as he digs the flashlight out of his pocket once again. "What the…?"

"What? What is it?"

"The damn thing won't turn on!"

"Stop it Wheeler! There is no reason to try that joke again…it is old."

"I'm not joking this time! Linka, I swear…I PROMISE you…it's not working. Here, try for yourself."

He hands her the flashlight and she tries to get it to work.

"Now what?" She asks.

"I think we should stay here…wait it out. Wait for the lights to come back on or for the flashlight to start working again…although I think it stopped working for a reason."

"And what would that be?"

"Someone, or someTHING doesn't want us using it."

"Or it is just the dampness down here has caused the flashlight to stop working," she reasons.

Suddenly, the door slams shut behind them.

"What was that?" Linka asks.

Wheeler feels his way to the door and tries the handle.

"It's stuck. But how did it shut?"

Linka joins him at the door and begins frantically turning the knob.

"Someone must be out in the hall and they did not know anyone was in here." She pounds on the door and yells "Open the door! There are people in here!"

"I don't think anyone is out there Babe."

"Then the wind must've blown it shut."

"Wind? In an underground tunnel with no windows or doors to the outside? You can rationalize it all you want, but it definitely wasn't the wind!"

"Oh, and I suppose it was ghosts?"

"You know what, believe whatever you want. We're stuck here. Unless you want me to try and torch the door."

"Nyet. It is too dangerous. We do not know what is in this room. We could end up burning this whole building down and risking lives."

"I guess this is payback for ditching those college boys…now we're in the same position that we left them in…except we didn't lock them in a room."

"That is it! It was them! They probably heard us in here and decided to pay us back for leaving them behind," Linka says. "If only this flashlight would work!"

She unscrews the top of the flashlight and uses her ring to blow out the inside.

"What are you doing?" Wheeler asks.

"Trying to dry it out if it is dampness that caused it to stop working."

She tries turning it on again and it works.

"See, it was just dampness…told you."

She scans the room with the light and gasps.

"Bozhe moy!"

"What?"

"My sleeping bag!"

"How'd it get down here."

"I do not know…you tell me!"

"What? How should I know?"

"You arranged this! First for it to go missing, then splitting away from the group, coming to this room, having one of them come back here to lock us in…and how convenient that my sleeping bag is here so that once again, we have only one bag between the two of us, and we have no way out of here. You are trying to scare me into not being able to sleep…and then offer to 'keep me safe' by sharing a sleeping bag!"

"You really think I'd do that? You really think I'd be that conniving? Damn it Linka! I would never try to trick you into sleeping with me! After all these years, have I EVER pressured you into doing something you didn't want to? NO! And I never will! You're the one that offered to come to Fear Fest with me! I didn't make arrangements with anyone to take your sleeping bag and put it in here. I have no idea how it got here!"

Linka knows that she over reacted and in doing so, has falsely accused Wheeler of something she knows he's incapable of doing.

"I…"

"I mean, I've never made it a secret that I like you and you've never made it a secret that you want nothing to do with me. I'm not that desperate. I'm not a creep. I'd never go through all this trouble just to try and make you love me! I can say it all I want…I like you Linka, as more than a friend, but that's irrelevant because I know you don't feel the same, because no matter how hard I try, it doesn't make a difference, so why go through the trouble of trying to trick you?"

"Wheeler, stop! I am sorry. I am scared and not thinking rationally. Of course I know you had nothing to do with this and would never try to deceive me. You have always been up front when it comes to your feelings…_**I**_ am the one who has never been honest with you. I hide my feelings because I am afraid to show them…I am afraid of what will happen. I know how I want to react to you, but I do not know how to do it…to let you know that it is ok…I cannot make the first move."

"But you never do! I'm always the one that makes the first move," Wheeler points out.

"I know…I meant, I cannot make the first move after you do. You have to make the first move AND the second move…then maybe I can make the third."

Wheeler takes a step closer to her and rests his hands on her hips. First move. She looks up at him and he moves his hands to cradle her face before leaning in to bring their lips together. Second move. She responds by wrapping her arms around his neck and lacing her fingers through his hair, holding him to her as she returns his kiss. Third move.

The lights come on and the door creaks open, but it takes Wheeler and Linka a while to realize it. When they finally part, smiling at each other, Linka leans forward to rest her cheek on Wheeler's chest and hugs him.

After enjoying their closeness for a few moments and letting it sink in, the reality of the situation hits him. The door is open, the lights are on, they need to make their escape.

"Come on, let's get outta here!" He says as he grabs her hand and pulls her out the door.

* * *

To Be Continued…

Hmm, who or WHAT is messing with Wheeler and Linka?!


	5. Chapter 5

**_Happy Haunting_**

_Part 5_

They arrive back at their "room" and despite the creepiness of the padded cell of solitary confinement, they both feel much safer than when they were in the tunnels.

"Phew…that was pretty freaky!"

"Da, I am glad to be back here."

"Me too…now where were we?" He asks as he steps closer to her.

"Right about here…" she replies as she grabs his shirt in her hands and pulls him down towards her.

Once they pull apart to catch their breath, they hold onto each other, Linka's body pressed securely against Wheeler's with her head tucked under his chin.

"Oh no!" He says as he smacks his hand against his head.

"What?!"

"You're sleeping bag! We totally left without it!"

"Do _**you**_ want to go back down to get it."

"Uhh, not really…but I will if you want me too."

"Do you want to know what I really want?"

"Always."

"I want you to shut that door," she whispers.

"But…what if we get locked in again?"

"Would that be so bad?" She smiles up at him.

"No…I think it could be a good thing actually," he says as he obeys her wishes and pulls the cell door closed. "Where are you going?"

"Getting ready for bed," she says as she pulls her sleepwear out of her bag. "Tomorrow is the costume party right?"

"Yeah," he says as he turns around to give her some privacy so she can change.

"We should get our rest because I have a feeling we may have a restless night."

Once he senses that she's finished the task of dressing, he turns around to face her.

"Because of the ghosts, right?"

"Nyet," she says as she stands before him, grasping the hem of his t-shirt and pulling it up over his head. "Did you not bring anything to sleep in?"

"I uh, usually just sleep in my boxers."

"Oh," she says softly.

"I can just leave my jeans on if you'd prefer…"

"I think I'd prefer if you did not," she says as she undoes his belt, then button, then zipper before letting his jeans fall to the floor. He steps out of them and kicks them aside.

She runs her hands up his sides, then up and down his arms, admiring his toned physique. He rests his hands low on her hips. She's avoiding eye contact with him.

"Linka?"

"I…I do not know what has come over me. I just…need this," she says as she runs her hand across his chest.

"My heart? You have it."

She leans forward and presses her lips to where her hand just was.

"I know," she murmurs against his skin. She takes his hand in hers and places it over her heart. "And you have mine."

"I do?"

"Da…Always have. Always will."

She trails her lips from his chest, up his neck, along his jaw line, and finally to his lips.

She begins walking backwards, pulling him with her, in search of his…their sleeping bag. He kneels down, blindly feeling around for the zipper, while trying not to break contact with her. Once he has it open, she crawls in and he climbs in next to her.

"Linka, nothing's gonna happen tonight…nothing you don't want."

"What makes you think I do not want this?"

"It's…it's not right. Not here…like this."

"You do not want to?" She asks as she kisses his neck.

"This is all I've ever wanted…but you deserve better."

"Wrong…after all I have done to push you away, I do not deserve anything…I do not deserve you. All I know is, I cannot stop. Everything in me is saying this is not right, we are going too fast, this is not the right place...a haunted asylum for the criminally insane?! But I cannot stop. I will go as crazy as the former inhabitants of this place if I am not in constant contact with you."

"I know…I can't control myself either…but you're right…this isn't the place…maybe we should just try laying here together…maybe get some sleep."

"Da, ok."

Wheeler wraps his arms and legs around her and she snuggles into him, pulling him close as she lays her head on his chest. They stay like that for a while until Wheeler presses his lips to her forehead and whispers,

"Goodnight."

She looks up at him and smiles.

"Spo'koinoi nochi," she says as she presses her lips to his chest.

He moves his hand to rest on the back of her head and run his fingers through her hair. She shifts positions so that her body is now covering his as she moves upwards to kiss his neck, and then nuzzles his ear. He turns his head to the side so that he can kiss her neck just as she had done his.

Once again, they are lacking control as they continue running their hands and lips over each other and exploring each other's bodies. When Wheeler's hand makes its way under her top, Linka stops.

"Too much?" He asks.

"Nyet," she re-adjusts her position to make it easier to remove her top. The tight confines of the sleeping bag are making it difficult.

"Need help?"

"Da, please."

"My pleasure," he says as he pulls her shirt up and over her head, trailing his fingertips along her skin as he goes.

Once that barrier is removed, she presses her body against his, skin against skin, resting her head against his chest as they take a break. Wheeler wraps his arms around her and holds her close, content just staying like this if nothing else happens between them tonight.

Once he starts pressing kisses to the side of her head, Linka shifts positions to get closer to him, slipping her leg between his and running it up and down his calf, making it clear that she'd like to resume.

He runs his hand down her bare back, bringing it to rest on her thigh, as he rolls her over onto her back and braces himself above her. Linka rises up to kiss him and lifts her hips to make it easier for Wheeler to slide her shorts down her legs. She slides her hands down his body, grasping the waistband of his boxers and tugging them down.

"Are you sure?"

"Every time we try to stop, we cannot. I feel like I am on fire and the only time I feel better is when we are…"

"Doing this?" He finishes for her as he resumes.

"Da," she sighs as she throws her head back and arches her back to accommodate him.

* * *

He buries his face into the crook of her shoulder and neck as he collapses on top of her. Linka laces her fingers through his hair to hold him to her and then turns her head to place kisses on his temple. She presses her lips to his ear and whispers,

"Wheeler?" She gently tugs at him, trying to get him to look at her.

"Hmm," he mumbles against her neck.

"Look at me Lyubov."

He braces himself above her and looks down at her with concern, uncertain what to make of this new word that he's never heard her use.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"More than okay Yankee."

"Was it…do you…regret…"

"Nyet Lyubov moy," she interrupts. At his confused look, she clarifies, "No, My Love...It was amazing. Better than I could have ever imagined. You were so…sweet and caring…I never thought that I could ever…feel that way...so strongly about someone."

"What way?"

"Like you are the only person that could ever make me lose control…and normally, I **_have_** to be in control, but with you, I can trust you. I can let you have some of that control. I did not think I could ever let someone have that, but with you, it was so easy to let go. And it makes me realize how much…I…that I have always…uh," she holds his face in her hands and takes a deep breath, "I…I love you Wheeler."

He smiles broadly and crushes his lips to hers.

"I love you too Linka. So so so so soooo much," he says as he peppers her with kisses. "Do you know what the scariest part of this whole night was?"

"Being locked up in a room underground with no electricity?"

"Nope…just now…after we made love and you wanted me to look at you…I thought you were going to be crying, or upset, or regretful of what happened…or mad at me for letting it happen…"

She silences him by placing her fingers over his lips.

"Hush Yankee. No anger, no regrets. This moment has been the best of my life…I only hope is that it is the first of many. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I only want to be with you."

"And I've only ever wanted to be with you," he says as he gently covers her lips with his. "Now what do you say to getting started on the _second_ of many best moments of your life?"

"I say, 'what took you so long to ask?'" She replies as she pulls him down towards her.

* * *

To Be Continued...


	6. Chapter 6

I'm gettin' there! Maybe one more chapter to go! Thanks for all the reviews.

* * *

**_Happy Haunting_**

_Part 6_

Wheeler wakes up the next morning to a familiar, but unexpected scent.

_Linka_!

He opens his eyes to see her curled up in his arms, looking up at him.

"Good mornin' Beautiful."

"Good morning," she replies as she stretches up to kiss him. "But it is actually afternoon."

"Really?! Why didn't you wake me up sooner?!"

"Because I just woke up not long ago…and I was enjoying watching you sleep," she replies as she strokes his cheek.

He turns his head to kiss her palm.

"Well next time, I'll wake up before you and get the chance to watch you."

"HA! You wake up before me?! That is funny!" She teases.

"Ok, maybe it'll be more like you'll fall asleep before me, and _THEN_ I'll watch you sleep."

"That sounds more realistic! We should go see what is going on with the others."

"Yeah, like what's for lunch! I'm starving."

"You certainly worked up quiet an appetite last night," she comments.

"Yes I did…for a hunger that'll never be fulfilled," he says as he kisses her. "No matter how much I have, I still want more."

He rolls over onto his back, bringing her with him.

"Sounds good to me," she agrees. "Lunch can wait."

* * *

When they arrive at the lunch area, the couple they had met the night before at dinner approaches them.

"There you are," Mr. Richards says. "When we didn't see you at breakfast, we were worried that those boys had been right."

"Boys?" Linka asks.

"The OSU students. They said that they were with you last night but when the lights went off and then when they came back on, it was like you two disappeared into thin air," Mrs. Richards explains.

"Oh," Wheeler says guiltily. "We should probably find them and let them know we're ok."

"Not gonna happen," Mr. Richards says. "They were so freaked out, they left last night."

Wheeler can't help but laugh until Linka elbows him in the side.

"So where were you too?" Mrs. Richards asks.

"Oh, uh…when the lights went out, the frat boys were arguing about whether to stay in the room we were in, or whether to go back out in the hall…Linka and I decided to not wait around for them to make a decision and left."

"But nobody saw you in any of the cells we were all sleeping in last night," Mr. Richards says.

"That's because we were on the opposite side of the facility. We picked the solitary confinement cell to stay in," Wheeler explains.

"Oooh, I get it…away from the crowd," Mr. Richards teases.

"Uhh, not intentionally, but it worked out for the best," Wheeler says as he takes Linka's hand and kisses her knuckles.

"Oh yeah? Good for you two! Did she keep you safe?" Mr. Richards asks.

"Yeah...I think she'll keep away all the demons that haunt me," he replies as he squeezes her hand.

"So will we be seeing you here next year to celebrate your anniversary?" Mrs. Richards asks.

"I don't know if we'll be back here...first I gotta see if she can put up with me that long," Wheeler says.

"I think I can do that," she confirms.

"You two are planning on going to the costume party right?"

"Yeah, we just gotta get ready after we grab a bite to eat," Wheeler says.

"Ok, we'll see you there," Mrs. Richards says.

* * *

Wheeler and Linka go back to their cell to get ready for the costume party.

As soon as they enter the room, Wheeler grabs her around the waist from behind and pulls her against him.

"I can't wait to see what you look like tonight…my little victim," he says as he nibbles her neck.

She turns in his embrace and wraps her arms around his neck.

"I think you will like it. And I will need your help putting it on."

"Sure. But I'd rather help you take it off," he leers.

"I will need your help with that too," she smiles back at him.

She unzips her garment bag and pulls out a sleek black strapless dress with a corseted top.

"Ooooooh, is that what you're wearing?"

"Da," she says as she blushes at the way he's looking at her. "So what does your costume look like?"

He pulls a silky light silvery grey shirt out of his bag with long flowing sleeves and a ruffled collar, followed by a black vest with silver chains across the front, and a black satin cape with burgandy lining.

"Nice," she says.

"Did I mention it doesn't have buttons? That's a lot of exposed chest for you to try to resist!" He teases.

"How do you think I became a victim of a vampire?" She asks saucily as she walks towards him. "I could not resist your charms."

She stretches up to kiss him and he drops his costume so that he can hold her instead.

"We should get ready. The party starts in a few hours and I gotta perfect the special effects bite wounds that you're gonna wear."

* * *

They both begin dressing in their outfits and once Linka reaches the part that requires Wheeler assistance, she turns to face him and sees that he's been watching her and she blushes slightly.

"Tie me?" She asks as she turns her back to him.

He does as she asks, lacing up the back of the corset. He turns her around in his arms and admires the view. She does the same to him.

"You make a handsome vampire," she says as she trails her finger along his exposed chest.

"Wait til you see me with my teeth!"

He goes to his bag and pops in his fangs that were customized to fit his teeth.

"Pretty realistic huh?"

"Da! They just stick on to your teeth?"

"Yeah, with this dental putty. I put it inside the tooth, then just slide them over top of my teeth. I can eat, drink, talk…I just don't know how it'll affect my kissing," he hints.

"Well we should find out," she suggests as she pulls him down to her.

He nips at her lips. She runs her tongue over his teeth.

"Works for me," he says.

"Da, me too."

He waggles his eyebrows at her mischievously and spins her around in his arms, holding her back against him as he leans forward over her shoulder, craning his neck around, and placing an open mouth kiss on her neck.

"WHEELER!" She squeals. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!"

"Perfect…I'm trying to figure out the best place to put those movie special effects bite marks…that looks good…don't move."

He goes to his bag and pulls out the makeup kit. He takes the fake bite marks, applies the adhesive spirit gum to the back of them, and sticks them on her skin. Once it dries, he takes the liquid latex and blends the edges of the rubber bite marks into her skin so that you can't tell that they are a separate prop. He leans forward and blows on her neck to speed up the drying of the liquid latex, causing her to giggle and shiver. He stands up straight and places a quick kiss on her lips.

"Ready for the blood?"

She nods and he takes the blood gel and dabs it into the indentation of the bites, lets it ooze out of the holes, and drip down the curve of her neck, making it look like the blood is freshly flowing from the bite wounds.

"Don't worry, it's washable if it gets on your dress," he reassures her.

"It is ok…it is black so it is no big deal. I wish there was a mirror in here so that I can see how it looks."

"Trust me, it looks great. _**You**_ look great!"

"So do you," she says.

"I gotta add one last finishing touch to mine," he says as he tips the bottle of blood gel into his mouth, staining the inside of it, letting it cover his teeth, and trickle out of the corners of his mouth and down his chin.

"Eww! Yankee, that is disgusting! Is that safe to be putting in your mouth?"

"Yeah, it's fine. Just dyed corn syrup…it's kinda sweet…wanna taste?" He asks as he moves in closer to kiss her.

"NYET!"

He laughs and makes a sad face at her.

"You don't wanna kiss me?"

"Not with that stuff on your face! I uh…do not want to smear it," she covers. "Definitely later though!"

"It'll dry a little and not smudge as easily. Then I can eat and drink…and do other things without ruining it."

"Shall we go then?" She asks.

"I can't wait to show you off. I'm gonna be the luckiest vampire at the party."

"Just as long as I am your only victim tonight."

"Tonight and every night for the rest of my life I hope," he says as he puts his arm around her and leads her through the door.

* * *

To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 7

**_Happy Haunting_**

_Part 7_

They arrive at the party and most of the other people are already there. Some of the costumes are pretty impressive. Others didn't have much thought put into them at all. Wheeler thought that he and Linka, especially Linka, looked the best…but he was biased.

The party was outside in an empty field. Hay bales were set throughout the area to provide seating and traditional Halloween music was playing.

"Ooooh, Monster Mash…there's an original," Wheeler comments. "Wonder how many times we'll hear 'Thriller' tonight?"

"The music does not matter to me. All that matters is who I am here with," Linka says as she puts her arm around his waist.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," he replies as she pulls her close.

"Hey you two, want a souvenir picture?" One of the Fear Fest employees asks.

"How much?" Wheeler asks warily.

"Yankee!" Linka says as she slaps his arm. "Yes, we will take one and _**I **_will pay for it."

"It's free actually…well, it's included in the price of admission. All I need is your address and we send it there," the man says.

Linka glares at Wheeler.

"Uh, yeah ok…here, umm, let me write down that address for you…we'll uh…take two…we uh…both live here."

"Ok, you two, strike a pose! How 'bout an 'in character' pose with the vampire poised to bite his victim?" the photographer suggests.

Wheeler stands behind Linka, and does as the man suggested as his mouth hovers above Linka's neck, as if he's just bitten her.

"How about another? Two pictures, two poses? You two can fight over who gets which one when you get home?" The photographer says, trying to lighten the mood.

"Sounds good."

"Da, since they are FREE!" Linka reiterates.

Wheeler grabs her in his arms, pulls her against him, and kisses her as the camera flashes.

"I claim that one!" Wheeler says after the picture is taken.

Linka rolls her eyes and laughs.

"Not if I get the mail first!"

* * *

They mingle with the crowd for a while, enjoying the food and apple cider. Once the sun goes down and the moon comes out, the mood is set. It's a perfect Halloween night.

"This is getting kinda lame. Wanna go for a walk?" Wheeler asks.

"Da," Linka says as she takes his hand and follows him into the woods.

"Full moon tonight," Linka observes.

"Yep. Watch out for werewolves."

"As long as I have my vampire to protect me, I will be fine."

"No one else but me will be sinking their teeth into you! Promise," he says as he leans in to kiss her.

They continue their walk, going further into the woods.

"Wheeler look!" Linka exclaims as she points.

He squints to see what she's pointing at in the dark.

"Is that…?"

"Da! My sleeping bag!?"

"What's it doing here?" He asks.

"I do not know! It seems to keep appearing in the strangest places."

"Any ideas how it got here? You're the one with all the answers."

"Nyet, not this time."

"Not ready to admit yet that it's ghosts?"

"WHEELER, IT IS NOT GHOSTS!"

"Why not?"

"Because why would they do that?! What is the point?"

"Maybe they like the idea of 'happily ever after.' You know, since they didn't get one of their own."

Linka shakes her head in disbelief.

"I cannot believe you are romanticizing ghosts!"

"Where are you going?"

"To get my sleeping bag! I do not want to have to explain to the others that I lost it in a haunted asylum for the criminally insane!"

"So you admit it's haunted?"

"Bozhe moy! Will you let it go?! There are no such things as ghosts!"

"It's too bad that the costumes had to be scary…we'd make a great Mulder and Scully."

"Da, she was smart and he was crazy."

"Noooo, she was smart...and almost as beautiful as you...and he was always right!"

"That was all fake. It was a TV show! Of course he was always right. It would not have been much of a show if he were always wrong!"

"You're scared!" Wheeler accuses.

"Ok, I will admit…I am a little scared…but it is an irrational fear! The moon, the holiday, the weird things that are happening…Now let us go before we go any deeper into the woods and get lost."

"I know the way."

"Oh really? You, a city boy, can find your way out of the woods in the dark?"

"We've pretty much stayed on the same trail, so yeah; a city boy like me can find my way back!" He says. "Now where are you going?"

"Over here."

"That's vague…you're going off the trail! We'll get lost for sure…and then you'll blame me!" He protests.

"I want to go over here."

"Why?!"

"I do not know! Something just…I feel like…I need to go this way."

Wheeler quickens his pace to keep up with her, and then runs into her when she stops abruptly.

"Geez Babe…"

"This is beautiful."

Wheeler looks up to see what she's looking at and sees a lake, the moonlight reflecting off it, making it look like rippling black glass.

"Wow. This is…awesome."

"Can we stay here?" Linka asks, but doesn't give him much choice because she's already rolled out the sleeping bag for them to sit on.

"Umm, Babe? Don't you remember anything from the Friday the 13th movies? Hanging out at a lake in the woods ain't such a great idea."

"Sit."

Wheeler takes a seat behind her, bracing his knees on either side of her. She leans back against him and shivers. He wraps his arms around her and rubs his hands up and down her arms for warmth. Then he takes off his vampire cape and puts it around her.

"Now what?" He whispers as he rests his chin on her shoulder.

She tilts her head back to look at him and once their eyes make contact, something overcomes them and their lips meet in an urgent kiss. Linka turns around to fully face him and kneels in front of him. Wheeler also moves to his knees and kisses his way down her neck, running his tongue over the trail of fake blood that has dripped down her neck and between her breast, sucking off as much of it as he can.

"Mmmm, so sweet," he says.

"Let me see," she replies as she seals her mouth over his, tasting the fake blood that was lingering on his lips. "Hmm, you are right. Tastes good."

They continue to kiss until Linka pulls back, panting.

"I cannot breathe!"

"What's wrong?"

She reaches behind her and feels around for the strings of the corset top, unsuccessfully.

"Undo this," she pleads.

Wheeler pulls her to him and looks over her shoulder as he grasps the strings and pulls, loosening the ties. He slides his hand under the fabric and spreads it, loosening the material that's constricting Linka.

"Better?" He asks.

"Da," she replies with a grateful smile.

She then begins undoing the thin chains that are holding his vest closed and once she's finished with that, she runs her hands up his bare chest, under the lapels of his shirt and pulls the shirt down off his arms, leaning forward to kiss his neck. She slides her hands down his sides and undoes his pants.

"Here?" He asks, shocked at her forwardness, especially given the fact that they were out in the open. Away from the crowd, but anyone could have gotten the same idea as them and decided to go for a walk.

"You do not want to?"

"Of course I do, I'd do it with an audience just to prove to everyone that I finally got you…I just wasn't sure if you were aware of the fact that someone could walk out of those woods any time."

"Someone like Jason Voorhees? Honestly Yankee, it was just a movie!"

"No, I mean someone from Fear Fest!"

"I know what you mean…but I do not care. I know I should…but I do not," she declares as she covers his lips with hers.

He knows this isn't like her, that something has gotten into her. He'd like to believe that he's finally won her over with his charm, and while that might be partly true, after all these years of being the one to initiate all the flirting and close calls between them, he's shocked that she is now the one taking control. In order to continue with a clear conscious, Wheeler needs to hear the reasons from her.

"Wait Linka, slow down."

"Whatever you say Yankee, we have all night," she says as she stops what she's doing and hugs him, tucking her head under his chin and pressing her cheek to his chest.

"Yeah, we have all night…but what do we have when we get back to Hope Island?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why here? Why Fear Fest? After everything else that's almost happened between us, but never did…why now?"

"Timing, I guess. Here, we do not know anyone. There is no pressure. Everyone here already assumed we were a couple, so whether we are or are not does not matter to them. They leave us alone. They are not constantly watching to see what we are doing together because most of them are already here with someone, or do not care one way or another what we do."

"So when we go back to Hope Island…things go back to the way they were?"

"Nyet, Wheeler! Things can never go back! Do you think that I can just walk away from you now? I love you."

"You do?"

"You know I do, this is not the first time you have heard me say those words."

"Yeah, but that was…after we'd…uh, emotions were running high, and…sometimes people get caught up in the moment and say things they don't mean," he says, giving her the opportunity to take it back…no questions asked.

"Is that…is that what you did?" She asks.

"NO! No, I meant it…every word, every kiss…"

"Good, so did I. And as I was saying…when we get back to Hope Island, everything will be different than before…we have gotten over the hard part…getting together…now for the hardest part…staying together."

"I think that's gonna be the easy part," he says as he grabs hold of her, kisses her, and lays her down on the sleeping bag.

Wheeler kisses his way down her neck and as far down as he can until his lips meet the fabric of the top of her dress, and then he makes his way back up to her lips. He runs his hand up her leg, pulling the dress up as he goes and bunching the material up around her waist.

"You're so beautiful," he whispers as he brushes his hand across her cheek.

Linka buries her face against Wheeler's shoulder to muffle her whimper. Wheeler stifles any further cries from either of them by covering her mouth with his as they make love under the moonlight.

* * *

Wheeler is curled up behind Linka, his hand draped over her waist, her hand holding his in place. He sits up on his elbow and kisses her cheek.

"That was way more romantic than solitary confinement," he says.

"Da."

"Maybe next time, we can try it on a bed for once," he jokes.

She laughs as she looks over her shoulder at him.

"Boring," she teases as she turns to face him.

"Or on the beach, or in the jungle, or on the couch, or in the Crystal Chamber…"

"Now you are getting a little too bold! What would Gaia think!?"

"She'd probably say 'It's about time!'" He says as he kisses her again.

They pull apart, Linka rests her forehead against his, and whispers,

"It is getting late."

"Yeah, we should be going."

Linka stands up and straightens her dress. She turns her back to Wheeler, silently asking him to re-tie her corset top.

"Not so tight. I want to be comfortable on the flight home."

"You could fly home topless!" He suggests as he presses his lips to her neck.

"Or maybe I will just change into regular clothes," she replies.

"Where's the fun in that?"

Wheeler reaches down and picks up his shirt, putting his costume back on.

"Do you hear that?" She asks.

"I don't hear anything," he says as he stands behind her and puts his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"It sounds like music."

He listens carefully until he hears what she's talking about.

"Oh yeah, probably from the party…wanna dance?" He asks as he spins her around to face him and holds her tightly as they sway to the music.

She rests her head on his shoulder as they dance. But suddenly, she stops.

"Wheeler look!" She says as she points out towards the lake.

"What?"

"By the bridge, the way the fog is rising off the lake, it looks like two people dancing like we just were. The fog made it look…ghostly."

"Finally getting into the Halloween spirit?! Too bad it's time to leave."

"It is a shame we do not have a camera. That would make a good picture," she says.

"Yeah," Wheeler says as he bends down to collect her sleeping bag. He takes her hand and leads her back towards the party.

"So explain something to me Babe."

"What is that?"

"If you don't believe in ghosts or spirits, how do you explain Gaia, the _**Spirit**_ of the Earth?"

"That is different."

"HOW?!"

"I can _**see**_ Gaia. I know she is real," she explains.

"So you have to see things to believe it?"

"Da, usually."

"Usually?"

"Well, obviously, no one can see God…but that does not keep people from believing that there is one."

"Good point. So even with that logic, you still won't even consider the possibility of ghosts?" he asks.

"Nyet."

Frustrated with her stubornness, but not wanting to argue with her, Wheeler lets it go. They have arrived back to the party, which still looks like it's going strong.

"Let's go get the rest of our things from the cell and head home."

"Ok, but we should say goodbye to people before we leave," she says.

"Yeah, we'll come back through here. I haven't seen Mr. and Mrs. Richards all night. Their costumes must have masks or something," he points out.

* * *

They get to their sleeping quarters, change out of their costumes, gather their belongings, and head back out to the party to say goodbye to the other partygoers.

Wheeler and Linka look around for familiar faces, particularly the Richards.

"I wonder if they left already," Wheeler says.

"Maybe."

"Let's ask around, I don't wanna leave without thanking them for their...inspiration!"

Linka puts her arm around his waist and smiles up at him.

"Da, me too."

Wheeler walks up to one of the workers at Fear Fest and asks,

"Hey have you seen Mr. and Mrs. Richards?"

"Is that supposed to be some sort of sick joke?" The worker asks.

"Uhh, no. We wanted to say goodbye before we left," Wheeler says.

The guy gives him a strange look.

"Paul and Lois Richards died last year after leaving their 15th consecutive Fear Fest. They were driving home when he had a massive heart attack. Crashed the car on the bridge over the lake. Poor Mrs. Richards wasn't able to make it out."

Linka's face turns white as a ghost.

"But we…"

"Come on Babe. Let's go home," Wheeler says as he takes her hand. "Sorry for the confusion buddy. We must've got their names wrong."

They climb into the Geo Cruiser, neither one saying a word.

Once they are in the air, Wheeler reaches over and takes her hand.

"What'cha thinkin'?"

"Those people were real Wheeler. We talked to them…several times."

"I know…kinda makes what we saw on the lake even spookier huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The fog…how it looked like a couple dancing under the bridge. Maybe it was…"

"A hoax…" Linka exclaims as if the realization just hit her.

"What?!"

"The couple was planted by the people that put on Fear Fest. They interact with people there, and then when the people ask about them, they are told some silly ghost story about how the couple died the year before…"

"Linka…why can't you accept it?"

"Accept what?"

"The spirits…it's what took your sleeping bag, what brought us together in the tunnels, the way we couldn't control ourselves in the cell or by the lake…finding your sleeping bag in the woods…leading us to the lake…it was them," he says.

"It could not have been anything more than coincidence."

"Your sleeping bag just disappears and reappears out of no where and that's coincidence?"

When she doesn't answer, he stands up.

"Here, you take over."

"What are you doing?" She asks.

He switches seats with her and begins typing on the computer.

"Ah-ha! Found it…'Couple Dies in Halloween Crash: Sandusky Ohio couple, Paul and Lois Richards were killed when Paul, 38, suffered a massive heart attack, killing him instantly. His wife Lois, 36, is believed to have drowned when their vehicle careened off the bridge and into the lake. Lois' body was never found, but after four days of searching, she is presumed dead. The couple were leaving the popular Halloween attraction, Fear Fest at the St. Lucifer Asylum for the Criminally Insance. They are survived by three children, ages 13, 11 and 8.' " He pauses, giving the information time to sink in. "Still think the people at Fear Fest made up the story?"

"I…"

Linka pilots the Geo Cruiser over the lake, circling the bridge.

"Goodbye Mr. and Mrs. Richards...and thank you," she adds quietly.

* * *

The End

The events of this story are fictional. Any names or situations resembling real events are purely coincidence...except for the part about the fake blood tasting good. That part is true. Sorry it took longer to finish than I'd hoped. Once all the craziness of Halloween slowed down at work, it was even crazier trying to hurry up and get ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Then this weekend was a bad weekend for my sports teams which put me in a bad mood and as a result, things weren't looking good for Wheeler and Linka! Luckily the horse I was rooting for to win the Breeder's Cup won! And it made me very happy watching her beat all the best male horses from the US and Europe! She's a beauty and a beast! And Wheeler and Linka lived happily ever after!


End file.
